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prevent accidents and test your command with echo

Terminal - prevent accidents and test your command with echo
echo rm *.txt
2010-10-27 07:26:26
User: alperyilmaz
Functions: echo rm
11
Up
Down
prevent accidents and test your command with echo

if you're using wildcards * or ? in your command, and if you're deleting, moving multiple files, it's always safe to see how those wildcards will expand. if you put "echo" in front of your command, the expanded form of your command will be printed. It's better safe than sorry.

Show sample output | Add to favourites | Report as malicious

Alternatives

There are 7 alternatives - vote for the best!

Terminal - Alternatives
rm *.txt <TAB> <TAB>
2010-11-04 13:58:15
User: boschi
Functions: rm
Tags: wildcard glob expansion
23
Up
Down
prevent accidents while using wildcards

alternative for "echo rm *.txt". Just doubletab the command you are willing to use and it will show you the affected files.

Show sample output | Comments (4) | Add to favourites | Report as malicious

Know a better way?

If you can do better, submit your command here.

What others think

nice idea.. a good default way to test parameter expansion if your inputrc doesn't auto-expand already.

Comment by AskApache 137 weeks and 6 days ago

In terms of preventing some rm-related accidents, you may also want to install safe-rm: http://www.safe-rm.org.nz

On Debian/Ubuntu:

apt-get install safe-rm
Comment by fmarier 137 weeks and 3 days ago

If you hit Meta-* (usually Alt+Shift+8), then inputrc will expand all the wildcards inline. e.g.

rm d*<meta-*>

Becomes:

rm dave dog dull

Then you can hit enter, or ctrl-c

Comment by flatcap 137 weeks and 2 days ago

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